Burnside Couch Couplet 2009

Where is Gil Kelley when we need him? Oh yeah - Mayor Adams eliminated (fired) the opposition to this costly project - making the Tram look like the penny arcade.

[Old Town editor notes: See the Revised Scope 2008. The project was scaled downward to meet budget constraints. It also appears that the Streetcar is not included in the couplet at this time. I have been told that the Tribune article referenced below has errors, but I have not had time to review.]

The Tribune's article "First city stimulus project heads to council let us know that this costly project has reared its ugly head again. Thanks Jim Redden.

The Couplet has to be viewed with the river as the dividing line not only physically, but also as to what is needed and what is 'nice to have' assuming that someone else is paying for it.

I supported (back in the day) the eastside version of the Couplet (two streets {Burnside & Couch} each carrying a different directional flow of traffic) without the later added (by Sam Adams) Streetcar.

At the time - 2005 - 2006, it was clear that the eastside Couplet without the Streetcar was integral to the eastside Burnside Bridgehead project.

But much has changed since then. The Bridgehead hasn't even reached a development starting point for a variety of issues.

Thus, the question has to be asked - is the Couplet still integral to development of the Bridgehead?

I suspect it is - but the 'we are paying for this citizens of Portland' need to have another look without an assumption that we can start from where we left off in 2006.

And, the follow-up question that has to be asked - is there a the need for a Streetcar?

With the Streetcar on the eastside - it sets a need for the completion of the Streetcar and Couplet on the westside. Thus - the costs will be far greater than the $22 mil found in the Tribune's article.

This is not a cheap undertaking. It wasn't in 2006 and there is no reason to expect it to be less expensive in 2009 and following years.